Chris Young, in his first start off the disabled list had a poor outing, but the Mets offense and bullpen carried them through to a 6-4 series opening win versus the Nationals.

Game Notes

Chris Young struggled in his first start off the DL, going four and two-thirds innings allowing three runs on four hits, but all the runs scored on home runs, walking two and striking out three. Despite only the two walks, both in the fifth inning, Young did now have his best command today. He left pitches up and got hurt with the deep ball, and he didn’t have a chance for retribution thanks to the 85 pitch limit the Mets were attempting to impose. Young threw 88 before leaving.

Ryota Igarashi came out in probably the most pressure-packed situation of the game, and managed to get one key out, striking out Jayson Werth. Ryota’s final line of one-third, one strikeout doesn’t give him credit for what he did, but the win he earned for it does. The bullpen would hold strong and look sharp the rest of the way, with Taylor Buchholz going two innings allowing one hit and striking out one. Jason Isringhausen went one inning, allowing a run on two hits but the run was manufactured with good baserunning and smallball. K-Rod came out in the ninth to get his fifth save, going one inning giving up one hit while walking and striking out zero.

The Mets bullpen has looked extra sharp lately, probably due to the rest and rotation actually pitching well.

The offense showed up for yet another game, ready to manufacture runs. The first run scored on an RBI groundout by Josh Thole, scoring Jason Bay in the second. The Mets were not done in that inning, with an excellent base-running play by Ike Davis on a Chris Young sac bunt that became a safety squeeze and scored Davis. The Mets struck again in the third, when a Carlos Beltran double scored Daniel Murphy, and Beltran advanced to third on an error by former Phillie Jayson Werth. The Mets went quiet until the sixth, when a Josh Thole double off of lefty!?!?! Doug Slaten found its way past Mike Morse and scored Jason Bay and Ike Davis to give the Mets the lead. The Mets would add the final insurance run in the ninth on a David Wright liner that nearly decapitated Sean Burnett, scored as a groundout to pitching scoring Jason Pridie.

The bats came alive when it mattered, and played a pretty smart game.

Jose Reyes – 1 for 4 and caught stealing. He was leaning, and he was vehement he wasn’t out, but he was.

Josh Thole – 1 for 4 with three RBI. Hopefully Josh is out of that slump, because he is tied for third on the team with 16 strikeouts..against four walks. For someone who was believed to have plate patience, this is either not a good sign or nerves.

Ike Davis – 3 for 4, hitting .368 on the season. He scored two runs as well.

Jason Bay – 2 for 4 with two runs. Welcome back, Jason.

David Wright – 0 for 5 with two K’s. David is tied for fourth in the league in strikeouts.

Turning Point

Ryota Igarashi ending the fifth and Thole’s double in the sixth made a great transitional point.

Game Ball

Josh Thole. Good day at the plate. Hopefully it remains

On Deck

The Mets will look to carry the momentum of their five game win streak, sending R.A. Dickey to the mound against Nationals lefty Tom Gorzelanny. The Mets hit Gorzelanny hard at home the last time they faced him, scoring six runs, five earned. Game Time is 7:10

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